Analysis of non-covalent interactions between the nanoparticulate fillers and the matrix polymer asapplied to shape memory performance

摘要

Non-covalent interactions between filler particles and polyurethanes were investigated usingfluorescence emission spectroscopy. The results were used in the analysis of shape memory (SM)performance of polyurethanes. Composites of shape memory polyurethane (SMPU) and carbonnanofiber (CNF), oxidized carbon nanofiber (ox-CNF), organoclay, silicon carbide, and carbon blackwere prepared from diphenylmethane diisocyanate, 1,4-butanediol, and poly(caprolactone)diol. It wasrevealed by fluorescence emission spectroscopy that primarily the urethane groups located in the hardsegments of SMPU interacted with the polar functional groups on filler particles. A close correlationbetween the extent of non-covalent filler-matrix interactions, soft segment crystallinity, and SMproperties of polyurethane composites was discussed. It was observed that weak non-covalentinteractions of polymer chains with CNF and SiC particles caused significant reductions in softsegment crystallinity of SMPU and hence the shape memory properties of the composites.